Improvement in railway-switches



E. MERCIER.

Railway-Switches. No. 145,518. I Patented Dec. 16,1873.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDYVARD MEROIER, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,518, dated December16, 1873; application filed July 22, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD Mnncnsn, of Springfield, Hampden county,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Self- OperatingRailroad-Switch, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in the combination and arrangement of partswhereby the train of cars will always throw the switch to connect withthe main track, whether coming from off the switch to the main track orcoming from either direction toward the switch when connected with aside track.

In the drawings, Figure I is a plan view of my improved switch. Fig. IIis a partial side view, and Fig. III is a detail view.

In the drawing, Fig. I, the switch D is shown connected with the sidetrack B and I will suppose the train approaching upon the main trackfrom either direction; if from the direction indicated by the arrowmarked I, a suitable projection, b, Fig. II, from the front of the trainor engine, coming in contact with the hinged piece 0, the side of whichextends obliquely across the track of the train, swings it out of theway, and in that action, by the connection It and crank T, partiallyrotates the shaft U, which rotation, by means of the eccentric W andconnection R therefrom to the switch D, swings the switch to connectwith the main track H. The same rotation of the shaft that accomplishesthis, by means of the crank O and rod 1, swings the hinged piece V,having double-inclined surfaces, into such position that it would becleared by the projection 12 from the train if coming toward the switchupon a track connected therewith, but would be swung aside by suchprojection if approaching upon a disconnected track. In the same way thetrain moving upon the main track, as shown in Fig. 1,1'n the directionindicated by the arrow II, would, in moving through the incline V, throwthe switch D to form the connection, and at the same time swing thepiece 0 so as to leave it in the proper position to be cleared by trainsgoing in either direction upon the connected main track. Thus it will beseen that the main track will always be kept clear and continuous,automatically, to a train already upon it, and also connected to theside track from which a train is passing.

The cranks T and O are arranged upon opposite sides of the shaft U, sothat the inclines O and V may be swung in opposite directions toaccommodate themselves to the changed position of the switch D, and therods h p are formed, as shown in Fig. IV, so as to have inclinedsurfaces 3 4:, to rise upon the shaft U and permit the pin j to play inslot it until the rod h or 1) shall have raised the pin j from a center.The eccentric when the shaft U is partially rotated, throws the switch Dand when the switch D is opposite either track B or H, the eccentric islooked upon a center, so

that no force applied to the switch itself can move it from itsposition. The eccentric, as-

shown in the drawing, has its cover removed, which, when on, preventsthe rod R from rising, and holds it in place. At one end of the shaft Uis placed the handle a, by which the switch is manually thrown toconnect with the side track, and which, by hearing against the tie f,holds the crank IV upon a center. Stepped in the tie f is thesignal-target E, from which chains or cords m m pass to the shaft U, towhich they are attached, so that the shaft, when it rotates, acts as apulley to partially rotate the target. to expose its face to theapproaching train when the main track is connected. The projection b maybe arranged in front of the pilot of a locomotive, or in any otherforward part of the train, so thatit may be lifted by the engine-driverwhen not required, or when it is desired to pass onto the side track;and it may be sleeved or otherwise constructed to rise upon and passover the pieces 0 or V upon the beveled end 0, as shown in Fig. II,where the end 0 is shown in profile, should the projection b be leftdependent.

In this self-operating switch I am able to guard against three frequentcauses of acci dent, namely, from trains running onto a switch holdinganother train or loose cars, and from jumping the track entirely bypassing off of either a side track or the main track when the switch ismisplaced, as the engine-driver, if the projection b is not alreadydown, can drop it instantly upon being apprised by the target that theswitch is not in its proper place.

Now, having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combinationwith the switch D, and

with the shaft U, with crank T and eccentric W, or equivalent device fordiverting motion to the switch D, the hinged piece 0, arranged andconstructed to be operated substantially in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination with the switch D, and with shaft U, with crank O andeccentric W, the double incline V, operated in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In combination with the switch D, the hinged pieces 0 and V, cranks Tand O, shaft U, and eccentric W and handle a, the parts being relativelyarranged to operate substangially in the manner and for the purpose setorth.

4. The crank O or T upon rod U, constructed so that the inclinedsurfaces 3 4L bear against the crank-shaft U, to start the crank fromoff a center and permit the pin j to play within slot k until the centeris overcome.

5. In combination with the swinging beveled inclines between the rails,the slide 1), to be raised by the inclines themselves when they are notin the position to be swung by said slide 1), as shown and described.

EDWARD MEROIER.

Witnesses R. F. HYDE, WM. S. SH RTLEFF.

